Key messages  »  Issues raised  »  Tips for working with interpreters  »  Focus exercise

Key messages

Booking and using the telephone interpreting service can sometimes provide the most immediate and accessible answer when a face-to-face interpreting session is impossible or inappropriate. It can also provide a more immediate response to communication breakdowns and has the added advantage of maintaining client anonymity.

Try to pre-book telephone interpreting sessions well in advance of your scheduled session to ensure the right type of interpreter is available. Always check the preferred language and dialect of your client prior to booking the interpreter and be aware of cultural issues that could have a significant impact.

Issues raised

In this scene, we witness a nurse, Pat, use the telephone interpreting service to address a patient issue. The telephone service provides Pat with the opportunity to access professional interpreting services quickly and effectively, resulting in a rapid resolution to her communication problem.

To ensure that an Indonesian interpreter is available to speak to the patient, Suryati, Pat pre-books the call for a particular time. Pat chooses to conduct the interpreting session in Suryati’s private room, ensuring that others cannot overhear the conversation. By protecting the patient’s privacy, Suryati can relax and is not so guarded in her responses. Pat ensures the telephone has two hand sets to permit a three-way conversation between Suryati, herself, and the interpreter, Budi.

Tips for working with interpreters

Telephone interpreting is not necessarily appropriate for discussing all subject matters, however it can be a valuable tool for arranging a face-to-face interpreting session or when resolving a quick query.

The basic steps involved in booking a telephone interpreting session are as follows:

• First speak to an operator and request an interpreter.

• Provide the operator with your name and contact number, the language and dialect the interpreter is required to speak, and the names and contact numbers of the other people required for the telephone hook-up.

• The telephone operator will then ask you for a suitable time for the interpreter to make contact, or if your needs are more immediate, will call you back once the required interpreter is located.

• Best practice telephone interpreting involves the use of two handsets or a speakerphone in a private consultation room.

• Take the time prior to a session to familiarise yourself with the telephone’s operation and connection functions.

Focus exercise

What are the advantages of telephone interpreting over face-to-face interpreting sessions? What are the disadvantages?

Identify occasions when telephone interpreting may be preferable to face-to-face interpreting in your work environment.

Do you know if your workplace has a speakerphone and how to locate it and install it for use?

Does your workplace have a room that is suitable for use for a telephone interpreting session?